Blackhall Rocks Beach — Attraction in Monk Hesleden

This beach is a hidden gem! We loved to visit. The water is clear, the beach is a mix of stone and sand with some larger rocks. There's a bit of waste debris and some trash on the beach and it could do with a bit of TLC but overall it's a lovely place. We took the dog down and she loved jumping in all the rock pools. We found plenty of sea glass for our collections. The cliff edges are a bit untrustworthy and the pathway/steps down to the beach have now been officially closed due to cliff falls. We still made it down to the beach area though. We only really parked at the picnic area but had we brought food we would have used the space. Parking is FREE! We love that. After the beach we headed to Cod On The Rocks which did a very generous 'small' fish and chips for £4.50 which was reasonable.

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Blackhall Rock Beach is a truly unique rocky coastline. I walked there slowly from Horden Beach, which took around 45 minutes. The entire beach is covered with pebbles and stones — the sea view is absolutely stunning, but you should watch your step when walking on the uneven surface.

One of the highlights here is the massive sea caves carved into the cliffs — the natural scenery is breathtaking. Facing the North Sea, you may even spot pods of dolphins leaping out of the water from time to time.

If you plan to visit, make sure to check the tide times in advance. The seabed here is very flat, which means the water can rise rapidly during high tide. I had a personal experience where the path between Horden Beach and Blackhall Rock Beach was suddenly submerged, and the water level rose very quickly. Safety is the top priority when exploring this...

Another beautiful part of the Durham heritage coastline. The footpath leading along the cliff top has lovely views, with lots to see and several benches along the way, although it can get very muddy at times. As with much of the Durham heritage coastline Blackhall had a very industrial past, and the beach was once heavily polluted due to coal mining. It has been much improved over the last 20 years, and has become an area worthy of Heritage Coast status and part of one of the finest...